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Mark Antony Biography

The Roman politician and general Mark Antony was the chief rival of
another prominent Roman politician, Octavian (63
B.C.E.
–14 C. E.), seeking leadership of the Roman Empire. Both men
desired to assume power after the assassination (political murder) of
Julius Caesar in 44
B.C.E.
The man who came out on top of this struggle would go on to become
perhaps the most powerful figure in the world at that time.

Youth and family

Mark Antony (in Latin, Marcus Antonius) came from a distinguished Roman
family. His grandfather had been one of Rome's leading public
speakers, and his father, Marcus Antonius Creticus, had died in a
military expedition against pirates when Antony was young.

As a young man from a distinguished family, Antony received an
appropriate education. His studies focused on skills that would be
useful to him later in politics, such as the art of public speaking and
the ability to think about a question or situation objectively and from
many angles. All his life, however, he was known for mixing such
activities with a love of less serious pleasures. At an early age he
became known for the personality traits he showed later as an adult: he
was brave, loyal to friends, athletic, and attractive, but he was also
reckless, occasionally lazy, fond of drinking and carousing, and
involved in love affairs.

Career with Caesar

Antony received his first overseas experience in the eastern portion of
the Roman Empire, when, during 57 to 55
B.C.E.
, he served with the Roman governor of Syria, which was a province
(territory) of Rome. From there he went to serve with Caesar
(100–44
B.C.E.
) in Gaul (a region of Europe that included what is now modern-day
France, as well as parts of modern-day Germany, Belgium, and Italy).
Caesar conquered Gaul for Rome, and Antony assisted him in suppressing
local rebellion against the Romans. In 50
B.C.E.
, after returning to Rome, Antony was elected a tribune, an office that
represented the people's interests. Tribunes were expected to
stand up for the rights of individuals and for those who were not
members of the highest classes of Roman society. By contrast, the
Senate, Rome's primary governing and advisory body, was composed
primarily of members from a small hereditary aristocracy (political
upper class).

Antony came into the office at a critical time. Caesar's command
in Gaul was coming to an end, and a group in the Senate was set on
bringing Caesar to trial for what they saw as his misuse of his power.
Caesar depended upon the tribunes to look after his interests in Rome,
and Antony did so when he vetoed a decree that required Caesar and the
men he commanded to lay down their arms. However, when the Senate gave
its officers special powers to "preserve the state,"
Antony felt that the measure would be used against him and he fled to
Caesar. By doing so, he gave Caesar the opportunity to assert his power,
because he could claim he was defending the people's
representatives—the tribunes—against the power of the
Senate.

Mark Antony.
Courtesy of the

Library of Congress

.

A series of civil wars followed that pitted Caesar and the armies and
politicians loyal to him against the forces of Pompey (106–48
B.C.E.
), the leader of the Senate faction. Under Caesar, Antony was given
several important military assignments and distinguished himself. After
Caesar defeated Pompey, Antony returned to Italy as Caesar's
second in command. In 45
B.C.E.
Caesar designated him as consul (a one-year position that was one of
the most powerful in Roman government) for 44
B.C.E.

Once again Antony found himself in a key position at an important time.
Caesar was rapidly moving in the direction of a government
in which he would hold king-like powers. As a result, a plot formed to
eliminate Caesar. On March 15, 44
B.C.E.
, he was assassinated. Antony was spared on the grounds that the aim of
the plot was to remove an illegal ruler, and that killing the consul,
who was the chief legitimate officer of the Roman state, would reflect
poorly on the cause.

Second Triumvirate

With Caesar's death, Antony was forced to fight a two-front war.
One front was against those who had plotted to kill Caesar. The other
was with Caesar's supporters, who were undecided on how to avenge
Caesar and as to who would lead them. Antony might have ensured his
leadership without difficulty if the young Octavian, nephew of Caesar,
had not appeared, claiming to be Caesar's adopted son and heir
and also demanding to be given Caesar's political power.

Antony tried to strengthen his position by attempting to gain a new
five-year command in Gaul, but Octavian skillfully lured some of
Antony's legions (the largest unit in the Roman military) to his
side. In the clash that followed, Antony's forces attacked
Decimus Brutus (a leader of the plotters), but he was in turn attacked
by the armies of Octavian and the consuls. He was defeated and forced to
retreat north.

In the following months Antony strengthened himself with the armies of
the western Roman Empire; while Octavian, realizing that the Senate was
trying to use him, began to establish an alliance with Antony. The
result was the formation of the Second Triumvirate of Antony, Octavian,
and Lepidus (c. 90–13
B.C.E.
), another of Caesar's former officers. As a triumvirate
(consisting of three governing officials called triumvirs), they assumed
absolute authority for ruling the empire, although Anthony and Octavian
soon edged Lepidus out of power. Unlike an earlier triumvirate
consisting of Caesar, Pompey, and the politician Crassus (c.
115–53
B.C.E.
), which was a mere political alliance, the Second Triumvirate became a
constitutionally established body for ruling the state. Octavian assumed
control in the west, Antony in the east, and Lepidus (for a time) in
Africa.

Antony and Octavian now moved eastward to face the army of those who had
killed Caesar. The two forces met at Philippi, Greece, in 42
B.C.E.
, where Antony's military skill led to victory.

Antony and Cleopatra

After this battle Antony's career entered its most famous period.
While Octavian returned to Italy, Antony went east to put affairs in
order in the eastern provinces. He also prepared a war against Parthia
(located in present-day Iran), and, needing Egyptian support, he met
with Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, in 41
B.C.E.
An immediate romance followed. This was interrupted when the news
arrived that Antony's brother and wife were openly defying
Octavian in Italy. Antony moved back west and peace was patched up in 40
B.C.E.
with Antony's wedding to Octavian's sister, Octavia,
after the death of Antony's first wife.

Antony soon went east again, beating back the Parthians. In 36
B.C.E.
he again took up his affair with Cleopatra, becoming involved with her
both romantically and politically. Cleopatra saw her alliance with
Antony as a wonderful opportunity to revive the past glories of the
Ptolemies, the royal family line from which she was descended. What
Antony's ideas were is not clear. He was certainly was dependent
on Cleopatra for money, and he did cede (give) territory and grant
titles to Cleopatra's family.

Octavian's triumph

At the close of 33
B.C.E.
the Second Triumvirate legally came to an end. At the same time the
crisis between Octavian and Antony was reaching a climax. Antony still
had support in Rome. Octavian turned public opinion against Antony,
however, doing so by announcing Antony's divorce of Octavia for
Cleopatra, reading Antony's will (in which his strong ties to
Cleopatra were stressed), and starting rumors against Antony.

Octavian gathered support in Italy, while Antony's Roman friends
had mixed emotions about waging war on the side of the Egyptian queen.
The two men and their armies met off at Actium, Greece, on September 2,
31
B.C.E.
In a confused battle Antony's fleet was defeated. He fled back
to Egypt with Cleopatra. Upon Octavian's arrival in Egypt, Antony
committed suicide. Octavian went on to become the first emperor of Rome,
taking the name Augustus.

I love this, so helpful!!! I have to write an essay on Marc Antony and this is my main source. The information on the war against Pompey is a little confusing, but besides that this is a great piece of writing.